Lent Devotions Archives - Only By Prayer

Lent: empty to full, prayer

February 29, 2016 by MaryK Leave a Comment

At its simplest, prayer is communicating with God.

Prayer is the language of our hopes, dreams, and ambitions. The Bible teaches that we should pray without ceasing, in good times and bad, when we are tempted, and when we are under attack. While God can do whatever He wants without the help of man, in His wisdom He has decreed that some things will not be accomplished apart from the prayers of man.

The effective fervent prayers of a righteous man availeth much!

We all know we should pray. We all know prayer is important … so why don’t we? Why do we struggle so with prayer instead of in prayer? Because prayer is hard work. Prayer is where our battles are won or lost. Some parts of the Christian life are enjoyable: praise and worship, fellowship, hospitality. Prayer is literally going to war with the enemy. No one likes to go to war. It’s hard. It’s bloody. It’s critical. It’s necessary. It’s our privilege and the payouts are huge.

Our nation is at stake. Our families are at stake. Our children are at stake. Suit up and get your armor on and drop to your knees because the battle must be won.

Please scroll through the Sway below to access the many embedded prayer resources. Remember to leave a comment below and on our Facebook page.

Have a blessed Lent.

Lent: a season of empty to full, simplicity

February 15, 2016 by MaryK 2 Comments

“For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.” 2 Corinthians 1:12

I like simple.

Simple pleasures, simple foods, simple days. A flower in an unexpected place. A hearty bowl of stew on a cold wintry day, meandering down a country road or an evening with the family gathered in the living room sharing laughs and love … all of these things bring a smile to my face and peace to my soul.

Ironically simplicity requires difficult choices, an iron will, and nerves of steel. The world, your work, and even your own heart will try to sneak in and wreak havoc with a simple life.

Jesus led a simple life. He had one goal: to do His Father’s will. How simple is that? Without a smart phone or iPad (my two mainstays), He managed to turn the world upside down. In order to live a simple life, we must simplify our priorities.

Simple Life Focus:

One command: Love the Lord with all your heart

One commission: Tell the world

One goal: Bring Him Glory

Empty your heart. Fill up with God.

It’s simple.

To learn more about the simple life, simply scroll through the Sway. Have a blessed Lent.

Here is our TalkShoe chat on Simplicity:

Have a simply blessed Lent.

Lent: empty to full, Ash Wednesday

February 10, 2016 by MaryK 16 Comments

Lent is a season of opposites.

We weep so we may rejoice. We sacrifice so we may receive. We empty so we can be filled. In Hebrew the word for empty transliterates as reyqam, which means in vain, empty, idle, without affect. I must admit I have been reyqam — vainly focused on myself, idly wasting my time and talents so my life was without affect. Empty. Longing to be full.

Reyqam also means to be poured out or hungry. Does this season find you hungry for something different? Have you poured yourself out for that which does not satisfy, chasing the wind? Are you ready to be full?

Come to the cross. Give Jesus your empty heart; taste and see that the Lord is good and be full.

From empty to full.

Please scroll through the Sway below to access our Bible study content for this week.

Please comment on what you have learned in the comment section below or on our empty to full Facebook page.

Be full.

and

Copyrights 2016

Lent Day 29, Praise the Lord!

March 21, 2012 by Jane VanOsdol 1 Comment

Welcome to Day 29 of our Lent Devotions! This week we are studying spiritual growth, and today we are looking at the power that praise can have in our lives. After writing this devotion, I am revved up and praising God! I hope this devotion sets you in an attitude of praise today! Just click on the link below to read today’s post.

Lent Day 29, Praise the Lord!

As an added bonus, here is an oldie but a goodie song by the Imperials called Praise the Lord. Listen to it on YouTube. Even after all these years, this song is anointed and the words are powerful. If you need some encouraging, really listen to the words. My favorite verse says the following:

Now Satan is a liar and he wants to make us think

that we are paupers when he knows himself

we’re children of the King.

So lift up the mighty shield of faith, for the battle must be won.

We know that Jesus Christ is risen, so the work’s already done.

Praise the Lord.

He can work through those who praise him,

Praise the Lord, for our God inhabits praise.

Praise the Lord, for the chains that seem to bind you

serve only to remind you that they fall powerless behind you

when you praise him.

Image: Chaiwat / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Lent Day 20, Simplicity, a Not-So-Simple Choice

March 12, 2012 by Jane VanOsdol Leave a Comment

Welcome to Day 20 of our Lent Devotions. This week, we are tackling the topic of simplicity, which is not always a simple thing to do! Join us as we explore what a lifestyle of simplicity looks like. To read today’s devotion, just click on the link below.

Lent Day 20, Simplicity, a Not-So-Simple Choice

Image: Vlado / FreeDigitalPhotos.net